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Hanb of Jtmer Htgfjt 

Hn Ofre&ap in Proge anb Wtvst 



BRIEF TREATISE ON ADVANCED THOUGHT 
IN ITS APPLICATION TO MODERN LIFE 

SUPPLEMENTED BY 

POEMS ILLUSTRATIVE OF PRINCIPLES IN 
HARMONY WITH PROGRESSIVE IDEAS 



BY 
CHARLES FREDERICK CRANE, M.D. 




NEW YORK 
PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 



."Rax sis 

Ipa. 



Copyright, 1912, by 
CHARLES FREDERICK CRANE 



The Book Composition Company, New York 



4(oa 

feCI.A314070 

/ 



TO 



ALL THOSE WHO ARE DAILY STRIVING, 
IN SPITE OF OBSTACLES, TO CREATE A 
GREATER DEGREE OF HAPPINESS AND 
TO DISPEL THE DARK CLOUDS OF LIFE 
BY RADIATING GLEAMS OF SUNSHINE, 
THIS BOOK IS SINCERELY AND RESPECT- 
FULLY DEDICATED 




Preface 




|HE only reason that this book is now 
^ being added to the vast ocean of lit- 
erature already in existence is the 
fact that the principal poem contained 
herein, the one from which this little volume 
derives its name, is pre-eminently an inspired 
composition and contains a message upon which 
thoughtful men and women will do well to pon- 
der. The physical senses are not the only chan- 
nels through which the human mind may receive 
information. It is known that the material 
universe in which we live is interpenetrated by 
a mental universe, and that we are constantly 
surrounded by currents of thought. People 
frequently receive ideas from unknown sources, 
which they vainly believe to originate in their 
own minds. Many, if not all, of the great 
movements for the benefit of humanity, have 
probably had their origin in this way. The 
7 



PREFACE 

descriptive matter that follows the verses of 
"The Land of Inner Light" explains in as clear 
a manner as possible the essential ideas contained 
in that poem, viewed from a standpoint that 
has been gained by many years of deep study 
and exhaustive research in many different fields 
of knowledge, and also through other and more 
direct means. The truth of the facts there 
stated is perfectly familiar to some persons at 
the present time, and will become more and 
more apparent to others as the race becomes 
older and the masses gain in wisdom. It per- 
tains not to any special brand of religious belief, 
but rather to those broad underlying principles 
that are as applicable to one kind as to another, 
and the practical adaptation of these, so far as 
is possible, to the various departments and daily 
affairs of human life. In the presentation of a 
subject of this nature, the writer feels himself 
to be a most humble instrument, but since it is 
as refreshing to drink pure water from a bat- 
tered tin cup as from a golden goblet, it is to 
be hoped that the information herein contained 
will be considered none the less valuable on that 
account. 

8 



PREFACE 

As some of the other poems contain flashes of 
the higher knowledge or serve to point a moral, 
they also should prove valuable reading. The 
one designated as "The Slave of the Mill," 
especially, is a composition having a most lofty 
object in view, namely, to impress upon the 
minds of the public the existence of the great 
curse of child labor and the importance of eradi- 
cating this widespread public evil, or, at least 
ameliorating, as much as possible, the condi- 
tions under which it is carried on. It is grati- 
fying to note that many efforts at reform in this 
matter have already been successfully accom- 
plished, and that more will follow. In regard 
to the poems that remain, the author hopes that 
they will be found, at least, interesting and 
attractive. 

That this book will be found so worthy of 
admiration as to forever preserve it as a gem 
of purest lustre, will always remain the most 
earnest wish of 

THE AUTHOR. 




Contents; 

PART I 

PAGE 

The Land of Inner Light. (A combination of 

Poetry and Prose. ) 13 

PART II— OTHER POEMS 



The Slave of the Mill 












35 


The Sage and the Lotus 












40 


The Hero of the Swamp 












44 


The Heart of Gold . 












52 


The Angelic Vision 












54 


Lost Opportunities 












56 


Life's Illusions 












58 


Friendship . 












63 


The Love- Dream ♦ 












64 



n 



Many a man, who thinks he's smart 
And calls his neighbor fool, 

hi future worlds will sadly sit 
Upon the dunce's stool. 



12 




PART 1 

^Tfje llanb of %mtx Htgfrt 

There is a land that's known to few, 

Where rainbow hues tint ev'ry scene, 
Where sweetest music thrills the soul, 

And Spirit dwells behind the screen; 
A place where fragrance fills the air 

And all around is dazzling bright, 
Where sin is not, and love abounds; 

'Tis called the Land of Inner Light. 

A land not cursed by man-made laws, 

Nor filled with useless man-made jails, 
But judged alone by God above, 

Whose boundless mercy never fails. 
In that fair land, where all is peace, 

No mortal's hand is raised in strife. 
'Tis there that might defends the right 

And love's the only law of life. 

13 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

Within that land no man doth feast 

While others starve for want of bread; 
The banquet board is spread for all 

And e'en the least of these are fed. 
No tyrant's heel, or crushing yoke 

Grinds down the worker to the dust; 
No power there holds men as slaves, 

Begrudging starving ones a crust. 

That land contains no room for those 

Who close their eyes to others' pain, 
Or disregard each other's rights, 

Or sell their souls for selfish gain. 
There kindness lifts the fallen up 

And dries the mourner's bitter tears. 
There stronger souls support the weak 

And cheer them onward through the years. 

There no man thirsts for clinking coin 

Nor sighs, but for the wealth within; 
No earthly treasure tempts his greed; 

He treads the way that's free from sin. 
Therein no mortal seeks for fame, 

But works his best for common good, 
All low ambitions cast aside, 

When standing where the Master stood. 

14 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

No beastly lust, nor tainted thought, 

Exist within that perfect land; 
Its dwellers number only those 

Who' re pure of heart and clean of hand. 
There health and strength eternal dwell, 

With blooming youth and lovelit eye, 
While shining angels guard the way 

Of souls that are not born to die. 

To those who scoff and those who doubt 

This heav'nly land seems far away; 
To those who' re wise, its threshold lies 

Deep down within their hearts to stay. 
There wisdom flows in mighty floods, 

With greater thoughts than those in books, 
And they who seek find wondrous truths, 

For all is clear where Spirit looks. 

'Tis there that beings learn the words 

That makes them true, upright, supreme, 
And hear the message from above, 

That life on earth is but a dream. 
They learn that all the worlds are naught, 

And all that is, remains but One, 
The One that rules the universe 

Whose Spirit shines through ev'ry sun. 

15 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

It leads the faithless to the faith ; 

It gives the hopeless hope once more; 
The meanest souls learn charity 

When passing through this open door. 
They feel the force that moves the spheres; 

They see the guiding hand of Love 
And grasp the need of sacrifice 

If they would swell the throngs above. 

Then loving hearts form living chains 

And helpful hands support the right, 
While living seeds are sent broadcast 

And darkened souls behold the light; 
Then e'en the highest love to serve 

And all assist the heav'nly plan, 
While mighty forces gather round 

To aid the brotherhood of man. 

The coming race is pressing on; 

Its vanguard soon must heave in sight; 
Its greatest souls are gath'ring round 

The standard of the Inner Light. 
Wilt thou, O laggard! stay behind, 

A coward in the coming fray, 
And, like the nations of the past, 

Go down to moldering decay? 
16 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

Rise up, O man! Know that thou art 

A spark from out the Sacred Flame; 
Go seek the Land of Inner Light 

Whence thy immortal Spirit came. 
List to the Voice that in thee dwells, 

When all the outer world is still; 
Whate'er that Voice shall bid thee do, 

Know thou, 'tis God's most holy Will. 



To obtain a clear idea of the meaning of the 
foregoing verses the words are not to be inter- 
preted according to their literal signification, 
but exclusively in reference to the lofty ideal 
that is embodied in them. The word land is 
not intended to convey the idea of place, but 
state of consciousness. There are many degrees 
of consciousness. For instance, that of even the 
highest animals is limited to their immediate 
surroundings, and they may therefore be said 
with truth to live almost entirely in the mate- 
rial world, and the lower races and grades of 
human beings are but little higher than the 
animals in this respect. The man of average 
intelligence, however, obtains knowledge, not 
17 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

only from his merely physical contact with 
material things, but also from many different 
intellectual sources of information, including 
the news conveyed to him from other portions 
of the globe, possesses a far broader conscious- 
ness than either the animal or the undeveloped 
human being, and may therefore properly be 
said to live in a greatly different sphere. But 
there is a far higher state of consciousness than 
is possessed by the man of average attainments; 
in fact, there is as broad a gulf between persons 
in possession of this higher consciousness and 
the average individual, as between the average 
man and the animal creation. All of the great 
teachers of humanity had this greater degree of 
consciousness, which enabled them to not only 
comprehend the affairs of this world, but also 
to receive, through sources of which the mass of 
human beings, even at the present time, have 
not the slightest conception, that grander knowl- 
edge concerning the affairs of the whole uni- 
verse, including the position of man in nature, 
his origin, his gradual evolution, and his future 
destination, together with the natural laws 
governing this evolution and the best means of 

18 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

hastening his progress. The gradual growth of 
consciousness can be traced through its various 
stages by first observing it in its most rudimen- 
tary form in certain plants such as the sensitive 
plant, then in some of the lower phases of ani- 
mal existence, such as fishes, reptiles, etc. , then 
in the birds and inferior animals, still higher 
in the family of apes, a little broader in the 
lower races of men, and more and more ex- 
panded as man becomes more and more a civil- 
ized being. It is a wonderful and beautiful story, 
this history of the transformation from low bru- 
tality to lofty thought and purpose. It is a 
change still going on and on toward higher and 
higher planes of perfection. All men possess 
physical consciousness, and also mental in vary- 
ing degrees, but comparatively only a few, at 
the present stage of evolution, possess even the 
faintest reflection of that higher grade which re- 
sides exclusively in the spiritual part of man, and 
not in the physical or mental. It is, however, 
something to which all may aspire. To those 
who have attained to this degree of consciousness 
wider fields of knowledge are opened up than the 
ordinary person has any realization of. They 
19 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

emerge from the semi-darkness of mere intellect- 
ual knowledge into the broad illumination of 
spiritual truth, and see everything from a more 
elevated standpoint than others do. They ob- 
serve the lives of persons and of nations not sim- 
ply as they are, but as they might be, and as they 
will be when mankind has advanced farther along 
the evolutionary path, and the expanding con- 
sciousness of the race as a whole has enabled it 
to bring order out of chaos, and harmony out of 
discord such as exists so largely in every depart- 
ment of human life at the present time. Al- 
though, such highly developed individuals may 
walk the streets in company with other men, 
usually unknown and unappreciated, they live, 
practically speaking, in a greatly different world, 
one of boundless illumination radiating from the 
Spirit within, in truth a "Land of Inner Light." 
Those who speak with authority tell us that 
some persons attain to this advanced stage of 
development far sooner than others, and some 
have attained it already. As the outer life of a 
man or a nation is but a reflection of the inner, 
it can readily be seen that when a majority of 
the people learn to read the advanced lessons 
20 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

taught by the Spirit within them, the whole ex- 
ternal life of the nation must change in accord- 
ance with the same, and then indeed will many 
of the ideas expressed in the poem become reali- 
ties, and then at last will the word happiness 
mean something more than a mere empty sound. 
Then will mankind be governed by fewer and 
better laws. The Creator, in his wisdom, estab- 
lished only ten laws to govern the whole of 
humanity, but men, to suit their own purposes, 
have multiplied these by thousands, with the 
result that, along with the more beneficent enact- 
ments are to be found others that are both un- 
just and oppressive. With the increasing light, 
however, that is now dawning in the previously 
darkened minds of many persons, the solving of 
this great problem will undoubtedly be accom- 
plished, sooner or later and in the wisest manner. 
It has been said with truth that every nation has 
as good a government as its people deserve to 
have, and therefore it would seem that the quick- 
est way for any country to obtain better govern- 
ment or better laws would be for the masses of its 
citizens to live their lives in such a manner as to 
deserve the best only, and, by thus patterning 
21 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

after their highest ideals, form harmonious parts 
of a superior nation, one in which charitable con- 
sideration for the welfare of all others will take 
the place of the selfish, brutish and practically- 
insane strife that exists to so large an extent at 
the present day. With the increased inner 
illumination, however, comes a realization of the 
vast amount of absolutely needless misery in 
the world, together with the desire to do some- 
thing to alleviate it. It has been proven that 
an immense amount of this suffering is due 
directly to the ignorance or selfishness of others, 
or frequently to both, bringing forcibly to mind 
the truth of the poet's saying: "Man's inhuman- 
ity to man makes countless thousands mourn." 
Human beings have been given free will 
to choose between good and evil, but, instead of 
obeying the Divine injunction, given in the book 
of Genesis, to replenish the earth and subdue it, 
men have, from time immemorial, wasted their 
God-given energies in the insane effort to sub- 
due each other. In the effulgency of the great 
Inner Light, however, even the most selfish in- 
dividual sees clearly the fact that a man cannot 
injure others without at the same time injuring 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

himself. Political, social and industrial injustice 
have brought about revolutions in the past and 
will do so in the future, but with the great light 
that is being thrown upon such matters at the 
present time, those who hold positions of wealth 
and power in the community are coming to real- 
ize, more and more, that such wealth and power 
is given them merely as trustees, to be used for 
the benefit of their fellow-men, and not for their 
own selfish gratification alone, and the masses on 
their side are arriving at the conclusion that far 
more is to be accomplished by peaceable and 
rational evolution, than by violent and destruc- 
tive revolution. With a recognition of the grand 
principle that what is for the best interest of all 
is ultimately for the best interest of each, a spirit 
of kindness and helpfulness will replace the old 
feeling of selfish antagonism, which is a relic of 
barbarism and more worthy of the dumb brute 
than of the man. The old methods of insane 
competition in business, social, industrial and 
political life is rapidly passing away, and is giv- 
ing place to the idea of increased co-operation, 
peace and plenty in all departments of human 
existence. Nor is this such an impracticable idea 

23 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

as some unprogressive individuals still appear to 
think. Hard-headed scientists inform us that 
the riches now in the hands of men is scarcely a 
drop in the bucket alongside of the undeveloped 
wealth of this globe, that is lying entirely un- 
used, and which, if distributed, would enrich 
every living man, woman and child. They also 
tell us that a comparatively small portion of the 
surface of the earth, if intelligently cultivated, 
could produce more than sufficient to support all 
the inhabitants of this planet, not only in com- 
fort, but in luxury. These scientists also know 
that in order to bring this about, it would not 
be necessary to employ the puny strength of men, 
as there are vast stores of energy now going al- 
most entirely to waste, in the heat of the sun, the 
force of the waves, the magnetic currents in the 
earth, and also from other natural sources, some 
of which are as yet undiscovered, and it will not 
be long before some or all of these natural forces 
will be practically utilized for the benefit of man- 
kind. When a comfortable living is thus assured 
all worthy persons, there will cease to be any 
reasonable cause for some men to seek power over 
others, except the noble ambition of using such 

24, 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

power for the greatest degree of usefulness for 
all. For centuries men have asked themselves 
the old biblical question: "Am I my brother's 
keeper?" and those who have crossed the thresh- 
old of the "Land of Inner Light" there find the 
answer written on the wall: "You are." 

The grandest philosophy that has ever been 
known teaches that as men cultivate only such 
plants and animals as are productive of benefit, 
so the higher intelligent powers of the universe, 
working under the direction of the Almighty, 
cultivate and assist only those who are striving 
to follow the dictates of the light within, which is 
continually urging them toward the realization 
of the true brotherhood of man in all the daily 
affairs of life. But, it may be asked: "Why 
do not all men know of this great light that is 
shining within them?" The answer is simple. 
We all go, whether we know it or not, in that 
direction in which we are most strongly attract- 
ed, and as the great masses of mankind are more 
powerfully drawn toward the gratification of 
their material desires, their consciousness neces- 
sarily resides most largely in the physical portion 
of themselves, and as the principal characteristics 

25 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

of matter, viewed from the higher standpoint, 
are darkness and separation, such individuals are 
naturally blind and selfish concerning all affairs 
of the broader life. It was for this reason that 
all of the inspired teachers, who have appeared 
from time to time among men, have so strongly 
advocated the importance of crushing out all 
such base desires, the purification of both the 
body and the mind, and the cultivation only of 
those inner qualities that pertain to increased 
spiritual life, the principal attributes of which 
are Light and Love, as they well knew that 
matter constantly changes, but that Spirit is 
eternal. 

It is only through such enlightened individ- 
uals that the great spiritual powers, who are said 
to watch over humanity, can exert their influ- 
ence. This statement does not refer in any way to 
what is generally known as "spiritualism. " In 
addition to the doubt concerning the genuineness 
of messages received through mercenary "medi- 
ums, " it is a fact that the information so imparted 
has generally been the very reverse of spiritual, 
and in many cases such as could only have em- 
anated from individuals of a very low grade of 
26 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

intelligence, or of debauched character. It is 
not through such as these, however, that the 
great Spiritual Powers of the universe communi- 
cate their knowledge to mankind, but in a way 
that is well-known by those who have been found 
worthy of being instructed in such matters. It 
is a recognized scientific fact that wireless tele- 
graph stations are only capable of taking mes- 
sages when the apparatus is properly attuned to 
receive certain electrical vibrations, and this gen- 
eral principle may be applied to persons in regard 
to their different capacities for receiving spiritual 
vibrations that originate from the more elevated 
sources, the ignorant and brutish masses in their 
present state of undevelopment being utterly 
incapable of receiving even the slightest amount 
of higher inspiration. There are, however, per- 
sons living who are capable of receiving inspira- 
tion of this kind, and such individuals have con- 
veyed to them, not only suggestions concerning 
life and conduct that have the highest approval 
of the conscience, but are also taught many 
things of which the public in general knows 
nothing, and which could be learned in no other 
way, such as the grand truths concerning the 

27 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

constitution of the universe, its emanation from 
the One great source, whose spiritual light, like 
the physical, is radiated from the centres of all 
the vast systems that exist in the heavens, a truth 
that has been testified to by the greatest teachers 
the world has ever known. Those who can grasp 
such facts become transformed into new persons, 
for they realize the true position of man in the 
universe and the noble destiny that lies before 
him. 

Let us now consider the relation of the Inner 
Light to the races of men who have inhabited 
this planet. Those who have studied the history 
of the world, as well as those who have delved 
into its ancient literature, know that all the great 
races of mankind, like individuals, had their 
periods of birth, rise to power, decline and death, 
and also, that each had its own special character- 
istics. Great minds have long ago determined 
the position that the present race occupies in this 
great scheme of nature, and also its character. 
Its keynote is intellectual achievement, and the 
brilliant scientific discoveries already made by it 
will be still further surpassed by the marvellous 
advances to be accomplished by it in the future, 

28 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

for this race, of which we form a part, has not 
as yet passed the zenith that precedes the period 
of decline. But there are many proofs to show 
that long before the death of an old race there 
occurs the beginning of a new, and the first evi- 
dences of this coming race are to be seen on every 
side, although but faintly as yet. Its principal 
characteristics, according to those who know, 
will be spiritual development and moral achieve- 
ment. An increasingly large number of people 
are now casting away screen after screen that 
separates them from the light of the Spirit with- 
in, and, day by day, is manifested to a greater 
extent the progress that is being made in this 
direction, as shown particularly by the multipli- 
cation of philanthropic projects of all kinds. 
The outer life, as before mentioned, is but a re- 
flection of the inner, and, as man grows in wis- 
dom, so must his external life become nobler and 
better in every respect, especially in regard to 
his relations with his fellow-creatures. Sooner 
or later, he grasps the idea, that, as no chain can 
be stronger than its weakest link, so the help- 
lessness and suffering of a part of the units of any 
social body, must inevitably result (if not rem- 
29 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

edied) in the unhappiness and gradual destruc- 
tion of the whole, a state of affairs strikingly- 
referred to by Bulwer Lytton as "strife-rot" in 
his prophetic novel, "The Coming Race." 
When this idea has become universally recog- 
nized, the hard conditions of life, and consequent 
reign of widespread misery, such as exists so 
largely among all except comparatively a few of 
the most fortunate of us at the present day, must 
gradually come to an end. In that future age, 
the only kind of success which advanced human- 
ity will consider worth striving for will be the es- 
tablishment of the best means for securing to all 
worthy persons the greatest possible degree of 
health, prosperity, knowledge, freedom and hap- 
piness, and then will the best interests of every 
member of the community be promoted by wise 
co-operation between such as are physically, 
mentally and morally capable of such co-opera- 
tion. This may seem like a Utopian dream to 
some of the readers of this book, impossible of 
realization, and thus it may appear to the ordi- 
nary person, but those who have had their field 
of mental vision infinitely extended by the 
brightness of that Inner Light not seen by any 

30 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

physical eye, and have been enabled thereby to 
peer into the mystic regions of the far off future, 
know that these statements are based on absolute 
truth. Co-operative methods have already been 
successfully utilized in many different kinds of 
enterprises and organized movements, limited in 
their character, but it is the opinion of those 
who are most competent to judge, that any sys- 
tem of universal co-operation, to be applied in- 
discriminately to all classes of persons, such as 
advocated by the so-called socialism of the pres- 
ent day, must prove a failure on account of the 
very imperfect state of mental and moral develop- 
ment that exists so largely among the people at 
this period of time. This idea is evidently cor- 
rect, if applied to the present generation, for the 
only instances, so far, of the successful application 
of co-operative principles to the affairs of entire 
communities, have been such as have been in- 
spired by the purest of religious motives, which 
goes to prove that perfect agreement in all the 
various transactions of life can never be reached 
by those who are dominated by selfish desires 
alone, and that perfect harmony can only be es- 
tablished in the many departments of human 

31 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

existence, between persons whose thoughts and 
actions are controlled solely by the loftier con- 
siderations of true friendship and brotherly love, 
attributes which can only be derived from but 
one source, namely, that of spiritual enlighten- 
ment. 

The beginning of the great struggle for real 
civilization can be observed even now. Although 
human nature changes so slowly that the prog- 
ress sometimes appears almost imperceptible, 
those who are striving for the practical uplift of 
humanity and doing all in their power to aid the 
forward movement of the race have not only the 
great law of evolution in their favor, but also, 
according to those who speak with authority, the 
powerful assistance of the higher mental and 
spiritual forces of the universe. Man, unaided, 
can accomplish but little. Man, when his capa- 
bilities become fully developed, his transcendent 
powers thoroughly aroused, his actions inspired 
from the higher sources, becomes a mighty force, 
whose ability to bring about far-reaching results 
is almost without limit. Persons of this kind, 
while attending to their duties in this inferior 
world, are, in reality, at the same time, true in- 

32 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

habitants of the "Land of Inner Light." It is 
the Divine Spark, within, the truly immortal 
part of man, and which was according to the 
teachings of the wise, originally one with the 
Great Spirit of the universe, that is, throughout 
the ages, constantly seeking to throw off the 
bonds of matter and become reunited with the 
source from which it sprang, and with this des- 
tiny always in view, is ever urging humanity to 
loftier degrees of evolutionary development, and 
continually impelling men and women toward 
nobler paths of achievement. The founders of 
all great religions frequently referred to the 
Light of the Spirit, and distinctly stated that 
such was the Divine heritage of all who earnestly 
desired to enter within its influence. Unfortu- 
nately, many people, by keeping their minds con- 
tinually concentrated upon their material wants 
alone, are still groping in darkness, and to them 
this whole subject must remain, at the present 
time, an unsolved mystery. Others, however, 
and their numbers are constantly increasing, as 
the result of resolutely directing their conscious 
attention upon the great source of life within, 
are beginning to perceive at least some small 

33 



THE LAND OF INNER LIGHT 

gleams from the ' ' Land of Inner Light, " and are, 
as a result, manifesting a characteristic desire to 
sacrifice their own selfish concerns, for the sake 
of advancing the best interests of others. Such 
persons, by paying strict heed to the promptings 
of the ' * still small Voice" within them, are now 
living up to their higher aspirations with an in- 
telligence, courage and perseverance which must 
inevitably lead to a nobler existence for the indi- 
vidual, a grander civilization for the race, and 
an exceedingly great reward in the life to come. 




34 




PART II.— OTHER POEMS 

Cije «£iaue of tfje JptU 

Within a busy, thriving town, 

With work for many hands, 
W r hile railroad trains rush to and fro, 

Close by a stream there stands 
A large and stately cotton mill, 

The pride of country round; 
Employment sure it gives to all 

Within its whistle's sound. 

Its wheels go round from morn till night; 

The spindles gayly hum; 
Industry's voice is very loud; 

Humanity's voice is dumb. 
Within, a thousand spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Not only threads of cotton yarn, 

But threads of human life. 
35 



THE SLAVE OF THE MILL 

Beside a whirring spindle stands 

A little, puny form. 
Can really that be human shape 

There working in that swarm? 
A baby still in years and size. 

But with a look of age, 
Who toils and strives, with painful speed, 

To earn a meagre wage. 

No happy laugh is ever heard; 

The childish lips are dumb. 
The world must have its cotton thread, 

If children work till numb. 
Who cares if tireless spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Not only threads of cotton yarn, 

But threads of human life? 

The fingers warped and twisted are, 

And wasted are the arms; 
The tiny body's shrunken, too; 

But sleep each feature calms. 
At night the little being crawls 

With painful footsteps home, 
From endless task of weaving thread 

From twisted cotton foam. 
36 



THE SLAVE OF THE MILL 

Unceasing ever, day by day, 

Keeps up the wearing strain. 
How could the world get cotton thread 

With rest for arm or brain? 
Who cares if tireless spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Not only threads of cotton yarn, 

But threads of human life? 

Upon the little hopeless face 

There is a vacant stare, 
For how could lengthened hours of toil 

Leave time for knowledge there? 
An empty little bench in school; 

An empty little brain; 
A nation's honor empty, too, 

That bears this ugly stain. 

Yet, week by week, and month by month, 

The weary toil goes on, 
For, don't the world need cotton thread? 

For what are children born? 
Who cares if tireless spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Not only threads of cotton yarn, 

But threads of human life? 
37 



THE SLAVE OF THE MILL 

Each day is worse the hacking cough 

And color of the cheek; 
Each hour is added torture to 

The back that is so weak. 
No time for health, no time for play, 

No time for church or God, 
The aching heart were better off 

If planted 'neath the sod. 

And still the grinding work goes on 

With unabated speed. 
How could the world get cotton thread 

Without this human greed? 
Who cares if tireless spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Not only threads of cotton yarn, 

But threads of human life? 

But time comes when the little form 

In place no longer stands; 
The world must get its cotton thread 

Through use of other hands. 
A little soul has passed away 

To realm of angels' care, 
Where all is joy and gladsomeness; 

There are no spindles there. 



THE SLAVE OF THE MILL 

And in that future Spirit state, 

When balance sheets gone o'er, 
The world must pay for broken threads 

Of lives long gone before. 
GOD cares if tireless spindles warp 

And twist, mid noise and strife, 
Yes, warp and twist, and snap apart 

The threads of human life. 





Cfje J>age antr tfje Hottts 

A bearded sage, of modern time, 

Whom shallow minds would brand uncouth, 
In nature's storehouse loved to delve 

In tireless search for hidden truth. 

He learned of thriftiness from bees, 

And freedom's song from happy birds. 

The Lotus flower now he sought, 

And to its wisdom framed these words: 

"O sacred flower of the East! 

And emblem of the life divine, 
Thou blossom of the Orient, 

What mem'ries round thy tendrils twine 

Thy fragrant odor brings to mind 
An Eden full of sweetness stored, 

Where universal goodness reigned, 
A blessed garden of the Lord. 

40 



THE SAGE AND THE LOTUS 

Why called the flower of the wise, 

Whose fame throughout the ages last? 

Breathe thou into my inmost soul 
The secrets of thy ancient past. " 

The flower trembled in the wind, 

Then answered slowly with a sigh: 

"For centuries, O worthy sage! 

Mankind has passed the lotus by. 

Around it nations rose and fell; 

Men loved and hated, strove and fought; 
They trod the lotus under foot, 

And cared not for the truths it taught. 

When sorely wounded to the core, 

Or crushed beneath some heavy heel, 

With broken stem and petals torn, 

It wondrous sweetness would reveal. 

Its beauty cheered the saddened eye; 

Its odor soothed like sweet incense; 
It freely gave its life for all 

That they might eat at its expense. * 

* The lotus is frequently eaten by the inhabitants of the 
countries in which it grows. 

41 



THE SAGE AND THE LOTUS 

On lowly peasant and on king, 

It favors would alike bestow, 
And fragrance all around would shed. 

In meanest hovel it might grow. 

It is the purest of the pure, 

Though rooted in the filth of earth. 
Its flow'ry head still seeks the sun, 

Whose warmth and power gave it birth. 

Though growing oft mid waters foul, 
With stem and branches here below, 

It ever turns toward the light, 
Its essence tries to heaven go 

Know thou, O sage! This flower is 
The emblem of the human soul, 

Which up from gross corruption springs, 
Then wafts its way to highest goal." 

The man of learning pondered long. 

Then, reverent, he bowed his head, 
And thoughtful at the flower looked, 

As earnestly these words he said: 

42 



THE SAGE AND THE LOTUS 

' 'I know not whence thy wisdom springs, 
Thou wonder of remotest age, 

But could I change my place with thee, 
I'd be the lotus, thou the sage. " 




43 




<Cfje Ifero of tfje Jtoamp 

Down on an old plantation south, 
Among the sugar-cane and corn, 

Within a ruined shanty there, 

A half-breed human babe was born. 

His mother was as black as coal, 

His father lowest grade of white. 

The child possessed the traits of both, 
And so appeared a wretched sight. 

His entrance on the stage of life 

Was never mentioned near or far. 

His coming to this troubled world 
Was guided by no lucky star. 

No neighbor sought that cabin door; 

No other person passed the spot; 
No human being gave a hand 

To change its humble, lowly lot. 

44 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

E'en those who travelled near the place, 
To keep from treading on that ground, 

Took special pains, while passing through, 
To make extensive circuit round. 

So, shunned by all, by blacks, by whites, 
Its inmates held themselves aloof. 

No stranger was admitted there 

Beneath its rotten, crumbling roof. 

The babe grew up mid squalor vile, 
A child of nature's reeking soil. 

The only life he knew about 

Was one of constant, beastly toil. 

To read or write he never learned; 

He could not do the simplest sum. 
He knew not love, and ne'er possessed 

Of friendship e'en the smallest crumb. 

No wonder that he hated all, 

This lowly being of no race. 
He grovelled at the world's approach 

And looked not in its hated face. 

45 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

As time rolled on, this trodden worm, 

Not knowing whom of men to blame, 

Cursed all mankind. Within his breast 
There burned a sullen, hidden flame. 

Of wealth, or fame, he never caught 
Not e'en the very smallest gleam. 

His life beside the Southern swamp 

Flowed on and on, like sluggish stream. 

His parents died in course of time, 
And he was left still more alone, 

A human brute without one grace 
And with a wicked heart of stone. 

No wife, nor kin, had he to cheer 

Or soothe his lonely, wretched fate. 

His evil mind was given up 

To vengeful thoughts and bitter hate. 

The people of the countryside 

Regarded him with wholesome fear. 

Not all the gold in all the world 

Would tempt them to approach him near. 

46 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

He had the name of loving crime 

And planning black and evil deeds. 

His better nature, like his land, 

Was overgrown with noxious weeds. 

A mile away there lived a man 

Of family and honest wealth, 
Whose daughter small the scoundrel planned 

To carry off by means of stealth. 

One moonlight night, the child went out 
To take a pleasant, evening stroll. 

No care had she, but gaily sang; 

No thought of wrong possessed her soul. 

She walked along the moonlit path, 
Beneath the cloudless, starry sky, 

And laughed and romped without a thought 
Of deadly peril so close by. 

Upon one side stretched out the swamp, 
Most dark and dismal, wide and deep. 

On other side there rose a hill 

Up from the path, abrupt and steep. 

47 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

Upon this hill, behind a rock, 

The black, inhuman monster kneeled, 
Prepared to spring and seize the girl; 

It seemed as though her doom was sealed. 

But, peering forth, he saw a sight 

To make much braver blood run cold; 

He saw what seemed to be a log 

Rise slowly from the reeking mold. 

The moonlight beams shone on its back, 

And on its ugly, warty sides. 
Without a sound, toward the shore, 

A dreadful, long- jawed reptile glides. 

The creature now has reached the bank 
With but a single minute's pause, 

And rushes at the frightened child 
To seize her in its viselike jaws. 

One moment more! The man stands still 
And views with awe the fearful scene. 

That dreadful moment works a change; 
It throws from him life's evil screen. 

48 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

Beyond the swamp, beyond the world, 
The future he appears to see. 

To his rapt gaze, the heavens blaze, 
He spies afar, — eternity. 

He now forgets the taunts, the sneers, 
The bitter hate that cursed his life. 

A shame he never felt before 

Now cuts him like a sharp-edged knife. 

A mighty wave of high resolve 

Sweeps o'er his burly, hardened frame. 
The spirits of the mighty dead 

Seem urging him to martyr's fame. 

With warning shout, he quickly springs 
To not destroy, but try to save. 

His life seems naught. His duty calls. 
Within him burns a courage brave. 

Like lightning flash he grasps the girl 
And helps her up a friendly tree, 

Then tries at last to save himself. 

Alas! Too late! 'Tis not to be. 
49 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

The alligator's open jaws 

Now close up tight, with vicious snap; 
Its teeth pierce through the victim's flesh 

And hold him in a deadly trap. 

The struggling man now fights for life, 

But all his efforts are in vain; 
The fearful grip will not relax. 

The man shrieks out in fear and pain. 

Now moves the reptile to the swamp, 
And drags its prey within the mire. 

All hope seems lost. The victim faints, 
When, — Hark! The crash of rifle fire. 

A shot rings out. The bullet speeds 

And strikes its mark, — the reptile's brain. 

The gunner leaps to water's edge 

And drags the man to land again. 

The rescued man is carried home, 

And placed upon his humble bed. 

Kind hands now dress his gaping wounds. 

Strange thoughts are passing through his 
head. 

50 



THE HERO OF THE SWAMP 

His life is saved, but what of that? 

Is life like his worth e'en a thought? 
"Henceforth," he cries, "no man shall say 

This life of mine is all for naught. " 

A Voice from high above responds, 

As happens oft, since world began, 

"Before thou wert, in truth, a beast, 

But now thou art, indeed, a MAN." 




51 




Cfje Ifeart of 0Mb 

On ocean beds are priceless pearls, 

That ne'er have reached the light. 
In mountain wilds are treasures rich, 

That missed the miners' sight. 
In cavern depths are rubies worth 

The ransom of a queen. 
In faithful hearts are purer gems 

Than human eyes have seen. 

In channels deep are clearer springs 

Than streams that face the sun. 
Beneath the soil are living roots 

Whose forces there begun. 
Within the earth, not on its crust, 

Exists a power great. 
In loving hearts are grander things 

Than beauty or estate. 

52 



THE HEART OF GOLD 

Then seek beneath the surface skin 

The source of value true, 
For nothing else can e'er compare 

With heart that's all for you. 
Its love is like the ocean wide, 

Of wondrous depths untold. 
Seek not for grace, or perfect face, 

But prize the heart of gold. 




53 




^fce Bmtlit $teton 

When daily toil is over and 

I lay me down to rest, 
When nature's sweet restorer comes 

To soothe my troubled breast, 
When through my tired, weary brain 

Strange thoughts and fancies teem, 
A wondrous fairy vision comes 

To see me in my dream: — 

A face so fair, as could compare 

With lilies' purest white; 
A form divine, as stars that shine 

In canopy of night; 
A smile so sweet, as one could meet 

In all the realms above; 
A voice that speaks, in softest tones, 

A soul's undying love. 

54 



THE ANGELIC VISION 

It seems to me, somehow, somewhere, 

I've seen that face before. 
In some past sphere, 'twas ever near 

To bless, inspire, implore, 
And something tells me with a voice 

That's deep within my heart, 
That time nor space, nor clime nor place, 

Shall keep our souls apart. 

Some day, the trump of doom shall sound; 

Our mortal life is past, 
And ending of the ages long 

Brings joy and peace at last; 
In bosom of the heavens, then, 

Each soul must join its mate; 
Together there, we'll both be drawn 

By mighty force of Fate. 




55 




Host <®pportunttteg 

A fragrant rose hung on a branch, 

To tempt the passerby. 
Said one, while going on his way: 

' ' I'll pluck it by and by." 
But when he passed that way again 

Upon another morn, 
The branch was bare, with nothing there; 

The fragrant rose was gone. 

A luscious peach hung from its stem, 

To rouse the appetite. 
The finder said: "When I return, 

I'll take a juicy bite." 
But passing back along that way 

Next day at early dawn, 
He sought in vain to find the fruit; 

The luscious peach was gone. 
56 



LOST OPPORTUNITIES 

A crystal spring flowed from a rock 

To quench the toiler's thirst. 
Said one: "Whene'er my work is done 

I'll drink this water first." 
But when the weary worker came, 

All tired out and worn, 
A drought had dried the water up; 

The crystal spring was gone. 

A charming face peered from its place, 

To cheer the hearts of men. 
Said one: "When fortune comes my way, 

I'll woo and win it then. " 
In after years, with bitter tears, 

And sad emotions torn, 
He learned the one he sought was dead; 

The charming face was gone. 

A message great came from on high 

To benefit mankind. 
Said one: "When earthly pleasures palL 

I'll bear this truth in mind. " 
But when at last he would atone 

For record most forlorn, 
The Reaper grim had summoned him; 

His life itself was gone. 

57 




Htfe's; Mu$itm& 

(Behold!) 

A trinket in a lighted window 

Sparks and flashes, glows and glitters, 
And now a man stands gazing idly, 

Mindless of the time he fritters. 

Electric bulbs are brilliant, glowing, 
Shooting shafts of dazzling light, 

And still the man stays there admiring, 
Gazing at the trinket bright. 

He hesitates, then mounts the step, 
Enters in the merchant's door, 

And quickly o'er the counter passes 

Hard earned dollars, more and more. 

See! Now he grasps his costly treasure, 
Wends his joyous journey home, 

And plans to make a great sensation 
Ev'ry place where he may roam. 

58 



LIFE'S ILLUSIONS 

At last his downy couch he seeks 

To dream of triumphs come to pass. 

(But Ah!) 

When morning comes his ardor dims. 
The trinket fades. 

'Tis made of glass. 

A farmer rough is thinking deep, 
As he upturns the drying hay, 

And sadly figures profits up 

Of painful work each weary day. 

Why not accept the offered chance 

To buy and own the brick of gold? 

Why always crushing burdens bear, 
Or toil until his bones are old? 

So quick he packs his old gripsack, 

And ticket to the city buys, 
Then meets the stranger waiting there, 

Within whose heart no pity lies. 

The bargain o'er, the stranger suave 
Assists the farmer catch his train. 

The victim homeward hastens then, 
While golden visions fill his brain. 

59 



LIFE'S ILLUSIONS 

He'll lift the mortgage from the farm 
And buy up fields of growing grass. 

(But Ah!) 

The shock he feels when sense returns 

The brick is light. 

'Tis made of brass. 

A statesman great is writing now 

A speech to catch the public's ear. 

From night till dawn he restless toils 
In eager hope that people hear. 

With seething brain he gropes around 
For phrases that are most sublime, 

And thoughts containing greatest truth, 
Such as will live throughout all time. 

From far above comes mystic light 
On subjects of the nation's need, 

And righting of the nation's wrongs, 
If people would but stop and heed. 

The statesman sees, and quickly writes 
Such living words as lead to fame, 

The grandest speech that's e'er been known. 

Henceforth immortal be his name. 

60 



LIFE'S ILLUSIONS 

The task is done. The statesman dreams 
Of worldly fame and honor rare. 

(But Ah!) 

The critics tear his speech to rags. 
The honor fades. 

'Tis made of air. 

A reigning belle, a woman proud, 

And dainty as a china vase, 
With features cast in classic mold 

With soulful eyes and angel face. 

A woman grand from worldly view, 

Accomplished and of worthy name, 

Who counts her suitors by the score 
And plays to win the social game. 

Her gowns are made in latest style 
And fit with grace her Juno form. 

Her sprightly wit, her birdlike voice, 

Her charming ways, take all by storm. 

The cup of bliss she tempting holds, 

That men may worship at her shrine. 

Her lips are quick to promise love 
To those who for affection pine 
61 



LIFE'S ILLUSIONS 

An honest man of truth and worth 

Dreams all her love is his each day. 

(But Ah!) 

Her words are false. His faith is gone. 
The idol falls. 

'Tis made of clay. 




62 




ifrtenbstfnp 

FALSE FRIENDSHIP 

Prosperity has many friends. 

Misfortune lives alone. 
Not many care how poor you fare; 

Most hearts seem made of stone. 

TRUE FRIENDSHIP 

This life is short and dull and dreary, 

Happiness a dream, 
And all that makes the world less weary, 

Friendship's kindly gleam. 
For only one true friend, however, 

Thousands vainly yearn. 
Secure one now by best endeavor, 

Chance may ne'er return. 



63 




Cfje Hobe#ream 

Just a little gleam of sunshine 

In a dark and dreary life. 
Just a little ray of heaven 

Midst the battle and the strife. 
Just a little fleeting pleasure 

Granted by a kindly fate. 
Just a little dream of rapture 

Given mortals, e'en if late. 

Better far than gold or diamonds, 

Richest silks, or satins rare, 
Better far than lands or houses 

Are these "castles in the air. " 
Better far than tempting banquets, 

Dainty foods, or flowing bowl, 
Better far than fame or fortune 

Is the love-dream of the soul. 



64 



APR 27 Wl2 



■aiiii 

015 905 Ofi? 2 



